Phelps is dead, hate lives on

It is being reported that famously anti-gay pastor Fred Phelps is dead. My social media feeds are figuratively exploding in celebration of his death and in remonstration against celebration. I’m not much moved either way. The toxic ideas of Romans 1 live on in the hearts and minds of every well-meaning Christian who sincerely believes that gays and lesbians merit eternal damnation, and no one person’s death is about to change that.

God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

So long as Christians continue to believe that the Apostle Paul’s hateful heterosexism was the result of divine inspiration rather than personal prejudice, we will be faced with millions of little Phelpses, regardless of the fate of WBC.

I welcome your thoughts on how to free minds from this ancient fear and loathing.